Improvement in machines for making eaves-troughs



- A. WHITCUMB.

MachinesfohMaking Yiavers-Troughs.

\ Patented May 12,1874.

No.l50,918`.

mf m Uivrrnn STATES PATENT Grrrcno ALONZO WHITOOMB, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR MAKING EAVES-TROUGI-IS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0.150,91S, dated May l2, 1874; application filed March 17, 1874.

To all 'whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, ALONZO WHITGOMB, ot' Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Making Eaves- Troughs of Wood, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists of a series of curved cutters or planes hung on centers in a suitable frame, so as to be adjusted or turned in the arc ot a circle, whereby they are made to cut semicircular grooves longitudinally in a stick of timber to form aconcentric series of troughs or spouts, and in devices or means for adjusting or feeding the said cutters to their work. It also consists in semicircular knife arranged to be used in connection with said cutters, so as to form the hollow in the inner trough at the same time that it is cut from the stick, all as hereinafter more fully described.

Figure l is a side elevation, Fig. 2, a front end view, and Fig-3 a transverse section on the liuc ab w of Fig. l. Fig. 4t is side elevation of a modified form of the cutters.

The object of this invention is to produce a machine that will cut a series of semicircular spouts or troughs, such as are generally denominated eaves-troughs from a solid piece of timber, and to do so with the least possible waste of wood.

To accomplish this object, I provide a suitable frame, A, having vertical arms or standards a for supporting the cutters, this frame constituting with its cutters a plane, which is arranged to slide to and fro 011 suitable ways, and carry the cutters back and forth in a true line, it being reciprocated by any suitable mechanism. I then provide a series of cutters, B, which are bent in the arc of a circle, as represented in the drawings, they being provided at each extremity, on their outer faces, with cutting-points c, as shown in Fig. l. These cutters are firmly secured to strong shafts G, which are pivoted to the standards c, so as to turn, and thus swing the cutters laterally, they thus moving in the arc of a circle, of which the pivots of their supporting-shafts Gr are the center, the cutters B being of such a curvature, and so attached to the rock-shafts G as to move in a true circle when adjusted. As represented in the drawings, these shafts are so mounted in their fra-me as to bring the cutters B on opposite sides, with their edges projecting upward. To each of the shafts Gr is attached a strong arm, I, projecting downward, and terminating in or having secured to its extremity a segmental rack, r, the teeth otl which engage with the threads of a screw, I, arranged in the frame A, as shown in Fig.- 3, there being two of these screws Z arranged side by side, one for each of the arms I, and each screw having secured on its shaft a pinion, n, and the two pinions being arranged to gear into each other, so that when one is turned its pinion imparts a corresponding motion to thc other, but causing it to turn in an opposite direction, by which means the rock-shafts G, with their cutters B, are also moved in opposite directions, thus causing the edges of the cutters on opposite sides to approach one another, or to separate according as the screws l are turned in one or the other direction.

It will thus be seen that the cutters B, when moved to and fro, with a stick of timber, E, applied and firmly held as represented in Figs. 2 and 3, will cut semicircular grooves therein, and that by using a series of the curved cutters, arranged concentrically, they will thus cut from the stick a corresponding series of concentric troughs, and that this will be done with a Waste of timber equal only to the thickness of the cutters. By making the cutters B with cutting-points cat each end, they will cut as they move in each direction, thus avoiding' any lost motion, except so much as may be necessary to carry the points out at the ends of the sticks being cut, they being set up or adjusted a distance equal to the depth of the cut made at ea-ch stroke by a partial turn of the screw, which is to be effected automatically by any suitable device atthe end of each stroke. It is obvious that, instead of single cuttingpoints at each end, the cutters B may be provided with a series of cutting-points, as shown in Fig. 4, with clearing-spaces between for the clearance or escape of the shavingsz, or that they may consist of a series of separate cut ters of only such width as is necessary to give the requisite strength and rigidity, they being arranged in line, with their points successively projecting the requisite distance, so that each will make a fresh cut, and thus by using a series of cutters the entire cut may be made at one operation. Itis also obvious that other feeding mechanism may be substituted for the screws, and the cutters be made to operate in the same manner.

In order to form the hollow in the center or face of the inner trough of the series atthe same time that the troughs are cut from the stick, I provide a semicircular or gou ge-shaped cutter, D, Figs. 1 and 2, which I secure to a vertically-slidin g holder, C, which latter is arranged to move between suitable guides upon the outer face ofthe arm a at one or both ends of the frame A.

In the drawings, I have shown a hand-lever, b, arranged to adjust the cutter D vertically, whereby it may be set so as to cut out the center at one operation, so as to permit the cutter -head to pass freely along under the stick, the rounded ends of the arms c and the shafts Gpassing freely along in the groove thus formed.

As represented in Figs. 2 and 3, the stick is first sawed to the required size, and may have a molding' formed along 011e edge, so that when cut out it is ready for use.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, there will be produced bythe machine three concentric troughs, the outer one of which will form the eavestrough, while the second one may be converted into a tube or spout by placing two such pieces face to face, securing them iirmly together; and making the joints tight by any suitable means. The inner and smallest section may be used in 4a similar manner, but being too small for most spouts is better adapted for use as battens and similar purposes.

By means of the cutters I3 and D, the work is accomplished with. great rapidity and with great economy of material.

My invention relates to themachine or means of forming the trough, and not to the trough itself, as that has been made before, but by a different machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The cutter head or frame A, having the curved cutters B mounted therein, substantially as described, whereby semicircular grooves can be cut longitudinally in a stick of timber, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of two or more rockshafts, G, having` the curved cutters B arranged on opposite sides thereof, and provided with the segmental racks r, in combination with the f screws Z, all constructed and arranged to opcrate substantially as described, whereby the opposing cutters can be adjusted, as set forth.

3. The sliding frame A, having two or more curved cutters, B, mounted therein on pivoted supports, and arranged on opposite sides, whereby, as they are fed into the wood, the corresponding cutters on opposite sides shall each cut a portion of one and the same circle or groove.

4. The cutter D attached to an adjustable support for cutting the central groove in the face of the stick, to permit the frame A, with its shafts, to pass freely along, as set forth.

ALONZO WHITGOMB. Titnesses E. O. PARKER, A. T. MErcALF. 

